Drowned In Sound review 'Public Service Broadcast #6'

So you know how this works, right? Parties left and right accost acts from across the indie plateau, eject the results centrally into the main vein of clued-up consumers (this particular edition comes supported by decent distribution channels, so ask away at your HMV, do). For their latest low-cash, high-quality compilation, Smalltown America have assembled another interstellar cast of upcoming hellraisers and cunning thieves ready to steal crowns from the scene kings above them.

Georgia natives We Versus The Shark wanna climb into your pants and lick off the itching powder they poured there an hour earlier; their 'You Don't Have To Kick It' actually kicks rather hard, opening proceedings with a tongue upon its gloss-coated lips and at least one hand on hips a'swingin'. It's punk, dance, some other conveniences: get into it. 'Commercial' isn't the name of this game, but it is the title of The Holy Ghost's contribution. Incessant but tuneful, it's a surefire hit first time through: boy vocals that wanna fight your face sliding sexily into girl vocals that wanna take you to bed to rob your trouser pockets raw as they lie on the floor.

Twenty-five tracks is about 20 too many to wade through for review purposes, so simply read this: few offer little value for money, since all you've handed over is four quid. Dropping a pin onto the tracklisting offers these further up-to-chance highlights: S. Rock Levinson churn dirtily on"Fault Lines", Boom In The Diamond Industry weave a woozy waltz but perform in funky steel toecaps, Housewife offer accomplished post-punk clarity where others prioritise dissonance, and Mark Hex pulls jittery beats from a dusty backpack only to find them still as fresh as they were when he locked them in there eight years ago. Do your own research: it'll only cost you the price of a pint and a half.